Mark 6:27

And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, AND IMMEDIATELY THE KING SENT AN EXECUTIONER, [ spekoulatoora (G4688) - the true reading is evidently spekoulatora (G4688)] - one of the guards in attendance. The word is Roman, denoting one of the Imperial guard. AND COMMANDED HIS HEAD TO BE BROUGHT: AND HE WENT AND BEHEADED HIM IN THE PRISON - after, it would seem, more than 12 months' imprisonment. Blessed martyr. Dark and cheerless was the end reserved for thee; but now thou hast thy Master's benediction, "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me" (Matthew 11:6), and hast found the...

14-29 Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for faithfulness, than curse them eternally for unfaithfulness. The ways of God are unsearchable; but we may be sure he never can be at a loss to repay his servants for what they endure or lose for his sake. Death could not come so as to surprise this holy man; and the triumph of the wicked was short....

EXPOSITION MARK 6:1 Our Lord now left the neighbourhood of Capernaum, and came INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY, the district of Nazareth, where he had been, not born indeed, but brought up, and where his kinsfolk after the flesh still lived. Nazareth would be about a day's journey from Capernaum. This was not the first public exercise of his ministry at Nazareth. Of that and its results St. Luke gives us the account (Luke 4:16). It would seem reasonable to suppose that, after the fame which he had now acquired, he should again visit the place where he had been brought up. His sisters were still living there. St. Mark here again uses the historical present ἔρχεται, "he cometh," for which there is better authority than for ἧλθεν_. _HIS

AND IMMEDIATELY THE KING SENT AN EXECUTIONER,.... Matthew 14:10 AND COMMANDED HIS HEAD TO BE BROUGHT; ordered him to cut off his head in prison, and bring it away forthwith in a charger to him: AND HE WENT AND BEHEADED HIM IN THE PRISON; according to his orders....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The Servant rejected in Nazareth. (Mark 6:1. Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:16)_ 2. The Servant sends forth the Twelve. (Mark 6:7 .Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:1) 3. King Herod troubled. (Mark 6:14. Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7)...

HEROD AND JESUS. THE END OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Wellhausen, J. Weiss, and Klostermann would begin a new period with this section the period of constant wandering, in which Jesus is mostly outside Galilee, _e.g._ in the districts of Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24), Decapolis (Mark 7:31), Bethsaida (Mark 8:22), Cæ sarea Philippi (Mark 8:27). The restless journeying across the lake, and the avoidance of Galilee, would be explained by the fact that the suspicions of Herod have been aroused. This characterisation of the period is correct and the hint as to its cause is also probable (_cf._ L

WITHOUT HONOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY (Mark 6:1-6)...

IMMEDIATELY. See note on Mark 1:12, AN EXECUTIONER. Greek. _spekoulator._ Occ only here.. Latin word _(speculator). a_ man who spies out; used of the Roman emperor's bodyguard (an armed detective body) round the emperor at banquets, &c. Herod adopted Roman customs....

_an executioner_ Literally, A SOLDIER OF THE GUARD. The word _Speculator_denotes (1) _a looker-out, spy, scout;_(2) _a special adjutant, soldier of the guard_. These scouts formed a special division in each legion; but under the emperors a body bearing this name was specially appointed to guard the emperor and execute his commands (Tac. _Hist_. i. 24, 25; II. 11; Suet. _Claud_. xxxv.). Hence they were often employed as special messengers in seeking out those who were proscribed or sentenced to death (Seneca, _de Ira_i. 16). In the earlier English Versions the word is rendered "hangman," but this term describes a mere accident of his office. The use of a military term, compared with Luke 3:14, is in accordance with the fact that Herod was at this time making war on Aretas (Jos. _Antiq_. xviii. 5. 1)....

14–29. THE MURDER OF THE BAPTIZER Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9; Luke 3:19-20...